Manual controller for automatic steering systems



Feb. 2, 1960 F. H. s. ROSSIRE 2,923,502

MANUAL CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC STEERING SYSTEMS Original Filed June 28. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lfi? o N O m 3 Q g 9 INVENTOR. 2 t I FRANCIS HENRY S.ROSS|RE E g 2% 9 Q BY o 0 U il 5 I" w i Feb. 2, 1960 s, oss 2,923,502

MANUAL CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC STEERING SYSTEMS Original Filed June 28. 1949 s Sheets-Shet 2 INVENTOR. F G 3 FRANCIS HENRY S. ROSSIRE Feb. 2;, 1960 s, oss 2,923,502

MANUAL CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC STEERING SYSTEMS Original Filed June 28, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG.4 FIG-6 N a E 48 f 41 i1. 2%. *1? i v V *I 4 1s /g I u I I QZ k I I0 Er w 62 INVENTOR. FRANCIS HENRY $.ROSSIRE conditions are satisfied:

,iUaitsdfs-m' si Pats tQ 5?? CONTROLLER FOR AUTOMATIC- STEERING SYSTEMS. I, Francis Henry S. Rossire, Leonia, N.J., assignor to Bendix AviationCorporatiom'Teterboro, N.J., a' corporatin of Delaware Original application June as, 1949, Serial No. 101,868, now Patent No. 2,681,777, dated June 22, 1954. Di-

videdand this application June 19, 1952, Serial No. 294,451

- 7Claims. Cl. 244-83) This invention generally relates to. automatic steering systems for mobile craft such as aircraft, for example, and more particularly, tonovel provisions in the form "of a manual trim and/or turn controller unit incorporating safety interlocks permitting engagement of the automatic'pilot with acraft only when certain predetermined This application is a division of application Serial No.

. ll,868,filed June 28, 1949, now Patent No. 2,681,777, .;issued June22, 1954s automatic pilot obtained. .1 Y

An, object of the presentjinvention is to provide a ,novelmanual turn and/or trimcontroller unit for an 7, whereby coordinated craft turns may be Another object of the invention is to provide a novel manual turn controller unit for an automatic steering system for an aircraft incorporating a novel switching arrangement whereby engagement of the automatic pilot for'craft control can be accomplished only when certain desirable conditions exist. 1 ;,A' further object is to provide an automatic pilot system for an aircraft with a novel interlock arrangementwhereby the pilot may be engaged with the craft for e control thereof only when certain desirable conditions V exist thereby overcoming disturbing forces on the craft which would otherwise occur. A still further object of the invention is to provide .a novelmanual controller unit for an automatic pilot having a turn knob which may be adjusted by the palm of the human pilot to subject the craft into a turn, a pitch trim knob being provided on either side of the turn knobfrotatable about an'axis normal to the axis of rotaupon which hand is used for tion of the turn knob for engagement by the thumb of the left or right hand of the human pilot depending setting in the desired turn. The above and other objects and advantages of the 1 present invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description which follows, Htaken togetherwith .the accompanying drawings wherein one embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

It is to b.e:expressly understood, however, that the drawings are forthe purpose of illustration are not designed as a definition ofthe limits and description only and of the inventionl;

QInIthe drawings wherein like reference characters refer i t'o like parts throughout the several views,

. Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of an automatic fpilot incorporating the novel manual controller unit here- .of together with 'the novel interlock switching arrangement embraced thereby;

Figure 2 is a top elevation view of the novel manual controller unit constituting the subject matter of the present invention; ,Figure 3 is a side elevation view in section of the novel controller hereof taken substantially along line A-A of I Figure 2;.

Figure 4 is an end elevation view in section of the. "'d'ontroller taken substantially along line B-B of Figure 3;

aileron in a manner Figure 5 is a side elevation view in section of the novel switch incorporated in the controller unit of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is an end elevation view with the solenoid {in section of the switch of Figure 5; and

Figure 7 is a detail'view of a portion of the mechanism'of the switch of Figure 6.

Referring now to the drawings-for a more detailed description of the present invention and more particularly to Figures 2 to 4, thereof, the novel controller uiiit hereof is shown as comprising a generally rectangular casing or housing 10 supporting inductive turn and pitch trim devices 11 and 12 therein. Both devices have movable' wound rotors 13 and 14, respectively, as well as inductively coupled fixed wound stators 15 and 16; (Figure 1).

A rotatable andlongitudinally displaceable turn'knob 17 is provided for displacingwound rotor 13 of device 11 relative to its stator. To this end, knob 1 7 is fastened by suitable screws 18 to a clamp member 19'which, by way of a screw 20, fastens the knob to a turn shaft 21 which is journalled in a bearing 22 supported in'an opening formed in casing 10. The lower extremity of shaft 21 carries a transverse pin 23 which engages with a slotted collar 24 to permit longitudinal displacement of the turn shaft relative to the slotted collar. Thel ower end of collar 24 receives a transverse pin 25 which is'ca'rricd by a shaft 26 supporting rotor winding 13 thereon. It will now be apparent that by angularly positioning tnrn knob 17, rotor winding 13 of inductive turn device 11 will be positioned a corresponding amount to develop in the stator winding a desired turn signal for controlling to presently appear.

The underside of knob 17 is hollow and formed with anenlarged sector 27 whose end walls 28 and 29define abutments for a pin 30 carried by casing 10. In this manner angular motion of knob 17 is limited by walls 28 and 29. A spring 31 interposed between the underside of knob 17 and casing 20 normally urges knob 17 .tothe inoperative position shown in Figure 3 in which the knob is held against rotation. Locking means is provided for holding the turn knob against rotation comprising a pin 32 carried by casing 10 and a disc 33 fastened to the turn shaft and having a slot for cooperation with the pin.

Turn shaft 21 also supports a cam surface 34 thereon which, in the inoperative position of the shaft, clears a pair of opposed micro type switches 35 and 36, the switches having normally outwardly pressed contact actuating buttons 37 and 38, respectively. As is known. with switches of this character they are normally in'a closed position but when knob 17 is pressed downwardly against spring 31 to bring the slot of disc 33 out of registry with pin 32 cam surface 34 moves downwardly to engage and depress buttons 37 and 38 to open switches 3'5 and 36 in a manner and for a purpose to presently appear.

Rotor winding 14 of inductive pitch trim device 12' is supported by a shaft 39 (Figure 4) which has a split anti- "winding 14 relative to stator carried by easing a gear 41 which has a hub 42 by way of which gear 41 is pinned to a transverse shaft 43 for movement by the latter. The outer extremities of shaft 43 have'cl a'mp members 44 and 45 fastened thereto, pitch trim knobs 46 and 47 being fastened by suitable means to the clamp members. Trim knobs 46 and 47 are hollow and at their underside engage with springs 48 and 49 which frictionally engage and hold the trim knobs in an adjusted position. Knob 46, furthermore, is provided with a stop pin 50 which may engage with. one of two limit stops 51 10 to thereby define limits of movement for both trim knobs. Displacement of either of the pitch trim knobs, therefore, will angularly displace rotor 16 to thereby develop a piteh a atest signal "for elevator control in a manner to presently appear? As more clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawing s bpth; sides of casing 'are recessed to confine'trim knobs 46 and 47 therein, each knob'beingprovided with :amefefinc e marker 52 and 53 thereon, the markers cooperating with fixed indices 54and 55 etched or otherwi se suitably arranged on casing 10. Whenmarkers 52 and 53 are lined up withthe indices," rotor winding 14 will he in a null or-non-signal generating-;-pos ition relative 1 state 16 V In a similar manner turn'knob-l7 'is proded With-a reference rnark er for cooperation with an iiridex onifhe ca sing so that'when both marker and index goihc ide ro'tor winding 13 will be'in-a null or non-signal g erati gposition relative to 'statorlS. s I

additionto th foregoing described elements the Taiwan s ams I 0 I PRQ Q Yr Yi of a b a a relay 57 as well as a switch 58, the latter beingsecuredt 1 a s eis snfap in l a xlwal t m t cover r gsing 0, theswitehbeing actuable'by aiselectorgknob 'aria'ngedvon theoutside of the casing. Selectorknob '59, 1sish in Figure 2, has threepositions, i.e., Ofi, ngage asdesignated on a selector plate 60 i th casing sa a I accordance-with one-novel feature of thepresent tion ,theimanual controllr hereof is soarranged that n pilot may rest hishand on the top ofthe unit Yi-l s'fl i i la 1 t e km h e er-m Ia d in either direction to thereby subject the craft into fa tuin'in'arieuver. ;At the-samefirne,ifthe human pilot 'ghisleft hand for setting in the turn he may engage ed pitc'h 'tr'iincondition.or, if he uses his right hand 'i'i"tliebperation;hefmayerigage trim knob 46 with'thel thumb of that hand to insert the necessary pitch trim "wi t 'ftinghislhand in either c'asefrom the c ontr oller. or fullyl' 'shown in'Figu re's 5Ta'nd6 of the drawwitch 5 8 comprises 1a casing "61 whose open end is a cover "62, the coyer" and the end wall of the I g being ape'rt'u'red to receivesuitable' bearings 63 and forro't'a't'ably mounting a r od orshaft 65 therein, one d of theshaft having s'electrar knob59'atta'chedthereto h be :other"end having two cam members 66 and 67 n stened thereto. 'Mounted'for "movement bys haft 65 withi'n hou sing 61 is'an insulating member 68 fors upportinga 'conductor'element 70 (Figure 6) thereon as well as a ispaced" condnct'ofeleinent 71'. Conductor'elment "10 grace pie undercertain conditions, to pa'sb'etween *'-:md'-'eng"age with-a pair of spaced 'contacts72 and 73 (Fig ure' "ST-to" close a circuit through'a contactfasse'nibly 74 ihaving' terminals 75 whileconductor element71 isa' dapted T615288 between andengage with'a pair of spacedcontacts and to close a circuit through a contact assembly 78 havingterminals 79.

' With the various parts of the switchnaechanism in the tion, it beingrnainta'ined insuch position' byini'eafis' of acoil spring'80'an'chored 'at one end "toshaft 65 "and at 1 lgits other end to a block'81 (Figure 7), supported on'casiing61, byway of a screw 82. Cam .67 may be'provided withe :notch on its outerperiphery so as to cooperatively v receive; a. detent 83 therein, the detent being carried by a v lever 84-pivoted at one end on a stud 85 and yieldably iurgedjn the direction Of' th carn' by way of a springr86 anchored to a pin 87 mounted on plate 62;

fis s haft 65 is angularly displaced against spring 80 by selector fin Figurei6, fr orn the Off ;to the0n position, fdetent smear/e the 'no tch of cam 67 and conductor ele- 70 passes between and closes the circuit between ts 72"and 73 'at which time detent will be posip pos ite'aslot 8 8i'n earn 67 and 'will be urged by be naked and maintained intlie "On"'pb si nob w with the thumb ofhis left hand toinsert a knob 59 in a counterclockwise direction, as I engag'efwith'such slot. In this manner the aaaswoa N ditions are satisfied atthistirn epi'essiri'g grain; knob 17 .do wnwardly and -theres' m im t e eeaw iewere cooper ation with a pairoi apaif'of spaced contacts '128 a'nd129. The relay tion in s pite of the fact that spring 80 tends to rotate it to its Ofi position.

Continued rotation of shaft 65 by the selector knob in a counter-clockwise direction to the switch Engage position causes conductor-"element-fl to pass between and close the circuit of contacts d 77 While conductor 'e1emeiit-70 is-"a1'so" by--shaf "65-it isavidr tlia"n element 71 so that as t -latteri'erigags ontacts 76 and 77 element 70gw i11 continue to -engagewith'contacts 72 and '7 figjot t en afb htsend c s l mn sr a 89 on the periphery of'cam 66 is positioned opposite a detent 90 carried by a lever 9 l who se opposite d grandee on 'stiidSfS. The *rfd'dft' whichds earried by -the slotted endlif a of a solenoid 95. As will presently appear if certain coni -"'s''lerioid will have g plunger 94 downwardly and i1;sasnia -waefieinatavai Barrera a "as-ana r ms. e.

For a erstanding of the r.

fof an elevator 'clianne ampli 107. "wnnebankand pitn'sign lgeneratin 1o nd asset: ele'iiints r5 avatars raees 10s g of device H iridtictiv fotol' 'pasitiandrelativeto thesmor-a af egiew axis' of rotation spaced contacts I "'ttirefl27f forf'cobi rati Wlth A in! c ludes acoil which, when energized, draw lind which, when de energized, permits'the armatures-to engage with contacts 125 and 128, respectively.

One terminal of switch 35 (corresponding to micro type switch 35 of Figure 2) is connected with relay contact 129 by way of a lead 131 and the other terminal is connected by way of a lead 132 to coil 113, the opposite end of the coil being grounded as shown. One terminal of switch 36 (corresponding to switch 36 of Figure 2),

. on the other hand, is grounded by connectionto lead 97 and the other terminal connects with relay contact "126 by way of a lead 133.

A switch 134, representing contacts 72 and 73 together with conductor element 70 of switch 58, has one of its terminals connected by wayof a lead 135 with power source 98 and the other terminal thereof connected by way of a lead 136 with relay armature 127. In addition "to its connection with the relay armature the latter terminal also connects-with all three amplifiers 103, 107 and 122 by way of a lead 137, by way of a lead 100 with the horizon gyro of the bank and pitch take-offs as wellas the gyro utilized for stabilizing compass 111, and by way contact 145 of the time delay relay which under certain conditions is engaged by contact 142. The other terminal of the latter switch connects through a winding 146 of solenoid 95 (Figures 5 and 6) with one terminal of switch 36 as well as relay contact 126 and relay coil 130, the free end of the latter coil connecting with the same terminal of switch 143.

It may be assumed that a craft embodying the subject matter of the present invention is under manual control of the human pilot and that he desires to engage the automatic pilot to take over automatic control of the craft. It will be further assumed that selector knob 59 of switch 58 is in its Off position, wherein conductor elements 70 and 71 are positioned relative to contacts 72, 73 and 76, 77 as shown in Figure 6, and turn knob 17 is in its inoperative position at which time both micro type switches 35 and 36 are closed and the knob itself locked against rotation due to engagement of slotted disc 33 with pin 32. Selector knob 59 is moved from its Oil position to its On position whereupon conductor element 70 engages contacts 72 and 73 so that switch 134 (Figure 1) is closed. By closing switch 134 power is communicated by way of lead 135 from the source, by way of lead 136, armature 127, contact 128 (relay coil 130 being de-energized at this time), and a lead 147 to energize windings 148, 149' and 150 to disengage servo clutches 151, 152

and 153 whereupon rudder, aileron and elevator surfaces 110, 108 and 109 are disengaged from their respective servo motors 154, 155 and 156. Closure of switch 134 also supplies power to the amplifiers by way of lead 137 and to the various gyros by way of lead 100. In addition to the above, closure of switch 134 heats coil 139 of time delay device 140 until bi-metal strip 141 bends in the direction of contact 145'to engage contact 142v therewith.

When sufficient time has elapsed for contacts 142 and 3 145 to engage, power is applied by way of lead 144 to one terminal of switch 143. The switch 58 is now ready for the Engage operation so that on moving selector knob 59 to the Engage position, conductor element 71 is brought into engagement with contacts 76 and 77, conductor element 70 remaining in engagement with contacts 72 and 73. This action is represented by closure 9? switch 143 as a result of which solenoid winding 146 is energized to depress plunger94 and thereby force detent into slot 89 to thereby maintain the switch in its engaged position. Relay coil is also energized to move armatures 124 and 127 into engagement with their respective contacts. 126 windings 148, 149 and 150 are de-energized and instead other windings 157, 158 and 159 are energized by-way of a lead- 160 whereupon clutches 151, 152 and 153 are and 129. Servo clutch turn knob 17 of the controller unit is depressed by the .palm of the human pilot to disengage disc 33 from pin 32 at which time switches 35 and 36 are engaged and opened by cam surface 34. On opening, switch 35 breaks the circuit to coil 113 whereupon due to de-energization of the latter the compass is disconnected from transmitter 114 and spring 116 returns the rotor of the latter to a null or non-signal generating position. Craft rudder is thus left under the sole control of pendulum 121 although such control may be supplemented by a rate gyro take-off (not shown) in a well knownmanner.

Subsequent to depressing turn knob 17 to disengage disc 33 from lock-pin 32, the human pilot by the palm of his hand turns the turn knob in either direction, depending upon the' desired direction of turn, and thereby displaces stator 15 relative to rotor 13 whereupon an aileron control signal is generated in the stator and fed to amplifier 103. In this manner coordinated turn is achieved and should, during the turn, the craft skid or slip, pendulum 121 being responsive to dynamic vertical displacement, will actuate rudder to prevent the skid or slip. I

Itwill be appreciated that if switch 58 is turned to its Engage position prematurely, i.e., before the gyros have been brought up to speed and the amplifiers warmed up as desired, time delay relay will not have operated to engage contacts 142 and so that holding winding 146 as well as relay coil 130 will be de-energized and when knob 59 is released in the Engage position, detent 90 will not register with cam slot 89 so that spring 80 will return the switch to the On position. There has thus been provided a novel safety feature in that the automatic pilot cannot be engaged with the craft control surfaces prematurely.

In the event that turn knob 17 is in some position other than its inoperative position when switch 58 is operated to its Engage position, neither holding winding 146 nor relay coil 130 will be energized because the circuit to ground for the winding and coil is broken by switch 36 which will be in an open position. Thusthe automatic pilot cannot be engaged with the craft control surfaces until and unless turn knob 17 isin its centered and inoperative position wherein disc 33 is engaged by pin 32' and both switches35 and 36 are closed. After relay coil 130 has been energized, however, opening of the circuit by operation of switch 36 will not affect engagement of the pilot because both relay coil 130 and holding winding 146 are grounded through relay armature 124 and relay contact 126.

There has thus been provided a novel manual turn controller unit for an automatic pilot together with novel safety switch interlocks whereby the automatic pilot can not be engaged'with the craft prematurely. Moreover, 

